Role Swap
by Silvermokona
Summary: A three-shot birthed out of a prompt: what if Talon and Caitlyn had swapped roles? Slight hints of TalonxCaitlyn
1. Chapter 1

Noxus was always a bit too quiet for her liking

Caitlyn stood on the roof of a building, cloaked and hooded with a wrapped piece of cloth strapped behind her. The place used to be full of violence, murders, and plenty of opportunities for someone like her. But now that Talon had started policing the place, it was nothing more than a training place to get a few pot shots in.

The conditions weren't exactly perfect but she unrolled the fabric on her back anyways, revealing her trusty rifle. Resting the barrel against the edge of the building, she started scoping out any potential targets.

Her scope stopped on one: a red-head that seemed to be looking straight at her. It couldn't have been possible for the red-head to see her: she was too far away, too high up…unless…

"So you're the roof jumper from Piltover." Caitlyn cursed as she felt the steel next to her throat. She was an idiot and needed to be more careful, but damning herself wasn't going to get the blade off her neck. "Do you want your hands off the rifle or your head off you neck?" the voice continued, nicking her neck slightly as he pressed harder against the skin.

The brunette said nothing, only slowly standing up with the blade still at her neck with her hands raised slightly in the air. Her hood fell off as she did, letting her glance over to see none other than Talon behind her

"Honestly, I'm kind of impressed you can keep the peace here with only a couple of knifes," she smiled at him, her elbow knocking slightly against her cape as she did. Only seconds later something clattered on the floor and the brunette could see his eyes dart down.

Seizing the opportunity, she pushed his arm away with one hand while elbowing him in the stomach with the other, then turned around and pushed him away. Before Talon could recover she scooped up the gun that clattered on the floor and pointed it at him

"I'm afraid I have other business to attend to, peacekeeper." She smiled, putting her hood back on before scooping up her rifle. While Caitlyn was putting her other gun back into its place, however, she barely had time to step back as Talon swiped at her stomach. She could feel the pain of the skin ripping, but only focused on getting a clean shot to his arm in retaliation.

He fell back again, clutching his left arm as she clutched her stomach. She didn't think he hit her intestines but it was still bleeding out pretty badly. The peacekeeper only looked at her in utter disgust as she started walking away, grabbing the fabric that covered her rifle as she did

"Now we'll both have scars to remember each other by, peacekeeper." The assassin smiled at him, still keeping the rifle fixed on him with one hand and the other on her stomach. Slowly walking backwards, she reached the edge of the roof then jumped down into the alleyway below. But by the time Talon reached the edge, she had already disappeared into the bustling crowds of the city.


	2. Chapter 2

The only thing he remembered before blacking out was hid body hitting the pavement and murmurs all around him. He had tried to get back up, sure, but his body refused to cooperate

In fact, it still refused to cooperate when he woke up lying on a bed in a rather decent hotel room, both hands cuffed to either side of the headboard. Talon side, tugging once or twice before confirming brute force wasn't going to get him out. He looked down and saw bandages covering various parts of his body, thankful for at least that. Looking to side revealed open doors to a balcony and a confirmation that he was indeed still in Piltover. Though for some reason the room smelled like…brownies?

The peacekeeper looked to the other side just in time to see Caitlyn, standing behind a counter while putting a tin of brownies on the counter

"I must say the hotels here are kind of nice," she smiled, noticing she was awake "You're lucky if a place in Piltover even has a bed and isn't filled with people waiting to rape you." The assassin walked towards the bed, pulling a chair next to it before sitting down

"…What happened?"

"I don't know myself honestly. I found you unconscious surrounded by a bunch of people who I'm pretty sure wanted to kill you," she shrugged "I should have left you there to die but some reason I brought you here. You were hurt pretty badly but nothing basic first aid can't fix"

Talon's gaze glanced to the cuffs and Caitlyn shook her head

"Do you really expect me to let you go where you can just jump on me and march me straight over to the station? I think not Peacekeeper, I'm not that big of an idiot."

"Then why are you still here?" his gaze narrowed

"Well it would be kind of dumb to leave you here when there are people that want you dead…"she trailed off, her brow furrowed before continuing, "Okay, correction: would be dumb to leave you when people want you dead while you were unconscious. Almost forgot people want you dead all the time," she smiled slightly "It looks like we have something in common."

He said nothing, but both of their gazes settled on the left arm. The scar was still prominent: a nickel size circle that obviously did not belong with the skin around it. Caitlyn stood up only to place her knees on the bed, her head hovering over it to take in every detail

"Can you not?" he sighed, stretching out his hand just far enough to push her away. And in only a matter of moments the assassin socked him on the cheek, her eyes wide. She stared for a moment, then quickly backed away

"I need to get going" Caitlyn stated flatly, walking over to the corner of the room to grab her cloak and wrapped up rifle

"And what about me?" Talon asked, tone blatantly saying he was annoyed as he watched her walk towards the balcony

"I paid off some kid to deliver a note to station right about now saying you were here. They're practically tearing up the city trying to find you right now." She turned back to him, smiling "You have some good people, you know that? It must be nice having people that look out for you."

Caitlyn tossed something on the bed: a key that landed right next to the peacekeeper. But when he looked back up, she had long since disappeared


	3. Chapter 3

She was actually starting to like Noxus

Boring, yes. Quiet, yes. But it was nice to not have to watch her back 24/7; just when the peacekeeper was on patrol. Caitlyn would have to go back to Piltover soon, before she got too soft. But for now? She let herself enjoy the city a little, and do some research while she was at it.

She could name several unsavory groups in Piltover that had branches in Noxus. But actually knowing who these people were? And what they were doing? Information usually sold for around the same price as a mark did. Unfortunately though, it was just as dangerous.

"Maybe I should take to thieving again…" she grumbled, throwing her hood back on as she slipped out of alleyway and into the street. It was nice today, and she could spy three people screaming to have their stuff picked off of them

Of course she would have if an arm suddenly grabbed hers and pulled her into yet another alleyway. Before she could react, she had her arms pinned above her and Talon staring down at her

"…Peacekeeper" she gave him a small smile

"Roofjumper," her growled, but returned the smile "I win."

His grip was steadfast, and her heart was pounding as gray eyes pierced her. But at the same time, they were so tired. So…exhausted. She pressed her back against the brick wall, attempting to separate herself from the peacekeeper, but he only shifted closer in response

"The question is…" Caitlyn spoke quietly, breaking the silence "Do you even have anything to arrest me for?"

"I'm not here to arrest you," he shifted so that he was only pinning her arms down with one hand, as if mocking her for just how weak she was compared to him. "Although I really should, I wanted to thank you. Plus, I need you for something else," his free hand cupped her chin, tilting it up to his face.

"And that would be?" she kept her expression completely emotionless, sure, but inside her heart pounded as she could feel his breath on her face

"Information of course," Talon's hand released her chin, instead taking his finger and slowly dragging it across her neck "Unless you _really_ want to be arrested."

"Information doesn't come cheap, Peacekeeper," the assassin's gaze narrowed, though man's touch made her shiver "And even the most desolate alleyways have ears. If you want your information we should at least move to somewhere more private. Unless you _really_ want to see me killed and never get your information then," she arched an eyebrow

The two locked gazes, neither moving nor flinching as the city life still bustled nearby. Finally he sighed, dropping his free hand once more but not before producing a knife and bringing it to her chest. "Your gun and cloak," he demanded, letting go of her arms as he did, "So I can make sure you don't run off."

Caitlyn's gaze flickered between the man's face and the knife at her chest. She rubbed her wrists as she did, still red from the peacekeeper's tight grip. She was in absolutely no shape to fight him, for his hand had much shorter distance to travel than hers. But what if he was true to his words? Was he really not interested in arresting her just yet? She could figure that out later, but for now all she could do was follow him

She finally sighed, unstrapping the rifle rolled up in fabric off his back before unhooking her cloak as well. Talon stared at them both, then looked up at her again. "And the gun behind your back," he added, his expression obviously not amused. She wasn't sure why she expected less from the Peacekeeper of Noxus, but it still pained her to take the gun out and give that to him as well.

Finally satisfied, he unhooked his own cloak and draped it on the assassin's shoulders. She quickly pulled the hood over her head, earning a chuckle out of the man

"Aren't you a little pretty to be hiding your face all the time?" he asked, slinging both her gun and her cloak over his shoulder

"It's none of your business," she folded her arms across her chest

"Fair enough then," Talon turned around, starting to walk back towards the street, "Try to loose me in the crowd and I'm keeping your guns"

She grumbled under her breath, sulking as she followed the peacemaker into the streets. The roof jumper couldn't sulk for long, however, since she needed to divert her attention to actually keeping up with him. His strides were so much greater than hers she actually found herself running to catch up a couple times. Finally she decided to cling onto his arm in an effort to guarantee she wouldn't lose him.

"Scared of losing me?" he asked, a bemused grin spread across his lips

"Scared of losing my guns," Caitlyn shot a glare up at him, "You just happen to have them."

He chuckled, and the pair turned down another alleyway away from all the crowds. She quickly let go of his arm as they walked, instead using them to pull her hood back down as they climbed up a set a stairs and reached a door covered in 'caution tape'. Talon glanced around for a moment, then drew a knife out and quickly cut the tape away.

"…Destroying evidence?" the roofjumper arched an eyebrow as he opened the door "Really now, peacekeeper?"

"The case was closed a year ago and the owners died. No one has even bothered with the property yet so it's just been sitting here for the past year," he gestured inside, "Ladies first."

She grumbled again, reluctantly walking in as the Noxian followed her. As he closed the door, Caitlyn's gaze turned to the windows, inspecting each one up and down

"They're bulletproof," the peacekeeper suddenly spoke up, making her jump "Guy was paranoid. Plus there's nothing but concrete below so good luck surviving the fall…without your equipment anyways," he turned around, giving her another bemused smile

"It's like you thought of everything," the Piltovian leaned against the nearby wall, rolling her eyes, "Why go through all this trouble when you could have arrested me and probably gotten your answers anyways?"

"I wasn't really interested in information," Talon walked over to her, making their height differences completely obvious as he peered down at her, "But I was interested in learning more about you."

"I'm a thief, I'm an assassin, and I break the law constantly for money. Is there really anything else to learn?" she crossed her arms, trying not to let the intimidation show through to him.

"Plenty," he smirked, leaning his hand against the wall right next to her "Like why you saved me."

"I still haven't figured that out myself, though I do know I'm starting to regret doing so at this current moment," Caitlyn inched away from his arm, still keeping her gaze locked on the towering peacekeeper

"You could have just left me there after you scared them off. So why'd you stay around and fix me up?"

"Because!," she frowned, "Hospitals in Piltover are basically a death sentence! You go in there with a broken toe and come out missing a kidney! The healers there aren't much better either…" the roofjumper looked away, crossing her arms, "And a target in a hospital is a really easy mark. Too much going on to effectively keep track of everyone and everything."

Talon's expression softened "…You were worried about me?"

"Being killed in a hospital is a stupid way to go. I just respect you enough to not let that happen…It's not every day you find someone who can keep the peace _and_ his word with a couple of knives"

"And it's not every day you find an assassin willing to save a lawmaker's life."

"Don't get too comfortable with that idea," the roofjumper turned back to him, her gaze hardened "If I do any shit like that in Piltover I might as well be one of you guys and I have enough people lined up to kill me as it is."

"Then keep it here," he frowned, "Because Noxus is not Piltover. And I will not hesitate to arrest you if I catch you doing _anything_ here."

"That's how it should be."

Silence. Then both of them gave a small smile to each other. It was how it should be, yes…but it was obviously not how either of them wanted it to be.

"…May I have my cloak back now?" he arched an eyebrow

"Only if I get mine back," Caitlyn replied, taking the peacekeeper's cloak off her shoulders. As soon as she placed it in the Noxian's hand, she quickly snatched her cloak from his and put it on as fast as she could manage

"…You never said why you hid your face all the time," he stated as he watched her reorganize her guns.

"Because it's none of your damn business"

"I don't believe our deal is through yet," Talon reminded her as she stormed to the door "I don't arrest, you give me information. And last I checked I haven't arrested you yet."

The Piltovian opened the door, then in the doorway. Silence overtook the room again before she replied "…Sometimes, it feels better to do my work as a weapon with no identity then as a person."


End file.
